A truth bomb on stillness, presence, and gratefulness from Seneca:
“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so, wants nothing.”
Sage advice from a central figure in Stoic philosophy, it shares wisdom found in many religious and philosophical traditions.
It’s not just a philosophical or religious assertion that mindfulness represents our best self – it’s a neuroscientific and psychological one. Though one can certainly go digging into the research on the neuroscientific effects and psychological meta-analysis of one’s brain on mindfulness, you don’t need to be scientist or guru to look back and compare your sense of happiness and contentment in times when you were laced with worry about an upcoming event versus times when you were truly “lost in the moment.”
Seneca reminds us that our best selves and true happiness are found living in the present moment.
Image credit: Yair Haklai
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